Royal Fleet Auxiliary orbat.
'Royal Fleet Auxiliary. '''Large Fleet Tankers (AOF(L)). “OL” Class. RFA Olwen (ex-''Olynthus'') (A122) RFA Olna (A123) RFA Olmeda (ex-''Oleander'') (A124) Notes: Largest and fastest RFA ships when they entered service; can carry four Sea King sized helicopters. Later “Tide” Class. RFA Tidespring (A75) Notes: '''Designed for fuelling and storing naval vessels at sea; can carry four Sea King sized helicopters. Was in reserve in 1985. ''Appleleaf'' Class.' RFA ''Appleleaf (ex-''Hudson Deep'') (A79) RFA Brambleleaf (ex-''Hudson Cavalier'') (A81) RFA Bayleaf (A109) RFA Orangeleaf (ex-''Balder London'', ex-''Hudson Progress'') (A110) Notes: First two originally part of four ship order for Hudson Fuel and Shipping Co, which was cancelled; third built under commercial contract for the MoD. Are currently the largest ships in RN/RFA service. Miscellaneous large tankers. RFA Pearleaf (A77) RFA Plumleaf (A78) RFA Oakleaf (ex-''Oktania'') (A111) Notes: Chartered tankers in RFA service, Plumleaf ''was returned to her owners in 1984, but taken up from trade the following year. '''Small Fleet Tankers (AOF(S)).' Rover Class. RFA Green Rover (A268) RFA Grey Rover (A269) RFA Blue Rover (A270) RFA Gold Rover (A271) RFA Black Rover (A273) Notes: Designed to replenish warships with a variety of fuel products, fresh water and a limited number of dry cargo and refrigerated products. Were equipped with helicopter platform, but no hangar. Often seen supporting deployments by small groups of warships, or single vessels; Gold Rover was based in the Falklands during the war, while Blue Rover supported ships operating out of HMNB Bermuda. Repeat Rover Class. RFA Scarlet Rover (A272)* RFA Brown Rover (A274) RFA Silver Rover (A275) RFA Bronze Rover (A276) Notes: * badly damaged by Soviet missile, was rebuilt and returned to service, her crew joking that she was ‘indestructible’. Additional units of the Rover class built during the war, incorporated a few improvements, but were otherwise identical. Class as a whole were sometimes referred to as the ‘Spectrum Class’. Fleet Replenishment Ships (AEFS). Fort' Class. RFA ''Fort Grange (A385) RFA Fort'' Austin'' (A386) '''Notes: '''Large replenishment ships designed to carry a variety of dry stores, such as fuel, food etc. Equipped with a hangar and flight deck capable of operating up to four Sea King sized helicopters; carries ASW stores for embarked helicopter flight. Usually seen supporting major task groups; both served in the Falklands War. '''Ness' Class.' RFA Stromness (A344) Notes: 'Stores ship, sisters (''Tarbatness and Lyness) were sold to US Navy and served in Military Sea Lift Command. Stromness was originally to have followed them, but was instead retained until new construction entered service. ''Regent'' Class.' RFA ''Resource (A480) RFA Regent (A486) Notes: Older class of replenishment ship, were first to be designed from that role from the outset. As with Fort class can operate four Sea Kings. Aviation Support Ship. RFA Reliant (ex-''Astronomer'') (A131) Notes: Taken up from trade as Astronomer during Falklands War to serve as aircraft transport. Returned to owners but later acquired by MoD to test USN Arapaho concept for containerised aircraft support. Not regarded as a sucessful concept; improvisation with containers, rather than pre-built kit was seen to be better. Served in very similar role to WW2 Merchant Aircraft Carriers, but with 4-6 Sea Kings rather than Swordfish. Helicopter Support Ship. RFA Engadine (K08) Notes: 'Built to train helicopter aircrew in deep water operations, thus relieving RN warships from the role; could also operate pilotless target aircraft (i.e. UAV). Could carry either four Wessex and two Wasp, or four Sea Kings; in theory she could have operated as a helicopter escort carrier in similar fashion to ''Reliant but stayed in UK waters for the duration of the war. There was much speculation about this during and immediately after the war, but it has only recently been revealed as to why – Engadine would have housed one of the dispersal groups of government ministers and officials (codenamed PYTHON) in the event of a nuclear strike on the UK. This role meant that she could not sail out of helicopter range of the mainland UK. '''Repair/Maintenance Ship. RFA Diligence (ex-''Stena Inspector'') (A132) Notes: '''Originally multipurpose North Sea Support Vessel chartered during Falklands War to serve as fleet repair ship. Later purchased and converted for use as forward repair ship in the South Atlantic (Falkland Islands). Has since supported MCMV in the Gulf. '''Aviation Training Ship. RFA Argus (ex-''Contender Bezant'') (A135) Notes: Former Ro-Ro container ship that served as aircraft transport during the Falklands War. Later purchased and extensively converted to act as replacement for Engadine; completed in 1987. Served as escort carrier on North Atlantic convoys, operated up to six Sea King helicopters. Later had extensive hospital ship facilities added and given additional designation as ‘Primary Casualty Receiving Ship’. Fleet Replenishment Ships (AOR). Fort Victoria Class. RFA Fort'' Victoria'' (A387) RFA ''Fort' George'' (A388) RFA ''Fort' Rosalie'' (A395)* RFA ''Fort' William'' (A396)* RFA ''Fort' Augustus'' (A397)* RFA ''Fort' Rupert'' (A398)* 'Notes: '* denotes completed post-war. So-called ‘one-stop replenishment’ ships, first of their kind built for the RFA. Were large, sophisticated and well armed – had the same GWS26 Vertical Launch Sea Wolf system as the Type 23 frigate, plus Phalanx CIWS. Have proven to be excellent ships and continue to form the backbone of the RFA. '''Amphibious Ships. Round Table Class. RFA Sir Bedivere (L3004) RFA Sir Geraint (L3027) RFA'' Sir Lancelot'' (L3029) RFA'' Sir Percivale'' (L3026) RFA'' Sir Tristram'' (L3035)* Notes: '''Designated as Logistic Landing Ships (LSL); designed to carry heavy vehicles, such as Main Battle Tanks, and supplies. Were used in 1983 to transport stockpiled BAOR material from Antwerp and Rotterdam to Marchwood in the UK and Halifax in Canada. All vessels took part in Iceland operation and were regularly used to move heavy equipment around the coastal waters of the UK. Since replaced by Bay class LSD (A). * After damage sustained during Falklands War was rebuilt and lengthened. Remains as part of RFA standby squadron. ''Sir Galahad'' Class.' RFA Sir Galahad'' (L3031) Notes: '''Improved and enlarged version of Round Table Class, built as replacement for ship of same name sunk during Falklands War. War Service similar to Round Table half-sisters. Remains in RFA service. '''Ex-merchant Logistic Landing Ships. RFA Sir Caradoc (ex-''Grey Master'') (L3522)* RFA Sir Lamorak ''(ex-''Lakespan Ontario) (LL3532) Notes: '* denotes lost in action. Chartered as temporary replacements for RFA ''Sir Tristram and original RFA Sir Galahad, but retained. Used to evacuate stores and personnel from BAOR in 1983/84. Were also used in Marchwood to Halifax supply runs. '''Afterword. Many merchant vessels were taken up from trade to serve as auxiliary tankers and supply ships. In most cases these vessels retained their original crews with the addition of a Naval Party to man communications and any weapons, rather than being commissioned into the RFA. As these merchant ships often swapped roles between ordinary merchant service and naval auxiliary it would not be appropriate to list them here, moreover some vessels were only fitted out as auxiliaries for specific operations, before being returned to merchant service.